Students of the Universidad Federico Henríquez y Carvajal (UFHEC) and the Universidad Eugenio María de Hostos (UNIREMHOS) may have to repeat up to 50% of the courses already taken. The med schools were closed by presidential degree last week. The measure affects 2% of the total number of students at medical schools here, some 10,596. Dominican universities require students to complete at least 50% of their studies at the center in order to issue a diploma. The closing of the two universities that provided medical courses in English affects 137 students at the UFHEC and 143 at the UNIREMHOS. Other institutions that offer studies in English are the Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago (UTESA), the Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) and the Universidad Central del Este (UCE). The CONES (National Council for Superior Education) stated that the measure affects only 2% of the students, of a total 10,596 that study medicine in the country. CONES rulings state that the organization will assist affected students so that they can transfer to other legally recognized Dominican universities. Members of CONES are Josefina Pimentel, representing the Ministry of Education; Elizabeth de Windt, president of the Association of Superior Studies (ASIES); Architect Eduardo Selman, Technical Secretary of the Presidency; Edylberto Cabral, rector of the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, the government university; Luis Naut, representative of the Dominican Association of Universities (ADOU); Carmen Salce, representative of the Private Business Council (CONEP); Priamo Rodríguez, president of the Dominican Association of Universities; Rafael D. Toribio, representative of the Dominican Association of University Rectors (ADRU); Hugo Mendoza, member; Rafael Kasse Acta (member). Príamo Rodríguez is also dean of the Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago (UTESA), a university that offers instruction in English; and Rafael D. Toribio, is rector of the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC). An evaluation carried out by CONES of the UFHEC and UNIREMHOS medical schools showed the following violations: 1. Violation of the center’s own admission and registration rules. 2. High percentage of the students’ records and graduates’ records were incomplete. High school diplomas and grades from the previous university were missing. 3. Irregularities in the grading of students. 4. Excessive credits per term. Some students were allowed more than 50 credits per four-month period. 5. Irregularities in the validation of subjects from other universities. Some subjects were validated without proof that these had been taken in another institution. 6. Issuing of diplomas to students who did not fulfill academic requirements of the university as per the pensum. 7. Unfulfillment of the CONES standards in regards to duration of the academic studies and internship period. 8. Failure of school laboratories to meet minimum requirements established by CONES. 9. Failure of school libraries to meet minimum requirements for the number of students at the university. 10. Absence of adequate policies for the hiring, training, and evaluation of university professors. 11. Deficiencies in the study programs, follow up and control of the academic activities of the schools. 12. Excessive flexibility in the grading of students. 13. Opening of unauthorized extensions, schools or careers.
